Revolver holster and method of making the same



July 27, 1965 E. J. CLARK REVOLVER HOLSTER AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME Fi led Sept. 10, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 5424 J. 64.428 INVENTOR.

B 6? g Q. ((1% July 27, 1965 E. J. CLARK 3,197,098

REVOLVER HOLSTER AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME Filed Sept. 10, 1962 2 sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

ATme/V V United States PatentOffice 3,197,098 Patented July 27, 1965 3,1910% REVGLVER HOLSIER AND METHGD 8F MAKKNG THE SAME Earl J. Clark, Los Angeles, Calif assignor to Buclrheirner- Clark Leather Goods Corp, Los Angeles, Calif., a corporation of California Filed Sept. 10, 1962, Ser. No. 222,415 7 Claims. (Cl. 224-2) The present invention relates generally to a carrying holster for an object, such as a gun or the like; and is more particularly concerned with a unique construction and method of fabricating the holster from a plurality of preformed blanks.

Heretofore, gun holsters have been conventionally constructed from pieces of leather or other flexible materials which have been secured together by stitching or other means to provide a simple tubular structure adapted to receive the gun endwise into its upper open end. Such holsters in a sense merely provided a sleeve into which the object could be forced, this sleeve by virtue of its construction acting to grippingly hold the gun by virtue of frictional resistance which undesirably impeded removal of the gun so that a fast draw was virtually impossible.

Having the foregoing in mind, the present invention has for one object an improved holster construction which embodies a rigid stiffener, and which is to arranged as to provide a tubular structure which is contoured to conform to the gun configuration, and in particular wherein the holster is formed with seat cavities which are adapted to receive the cylinder portion in the case of a revolver. Thus, the gun will be supported in a carrying position and may be rapidly withdrawn with little or no frictional or gripping resistance.

A further object of the invention is to provide a holster having a wall structure which includes a preformed rigid stiffener member containing a recessed area, and which is deformable as by bending so as to angularly dispose a belt supporting extension at an angle to the axis of the tubular structure for receiving the gun.

Another object is to provide an improved method for fabricating the holster from preformed blanks, and which embodies a unique manner of assembling and securing the parts or blanks with respect to the stiffener so as to form a holster having the unique features described herein.

Still another object is to provide as a separate article of manufacture, a preformed metallic stiffener having integrally formed portions for effecting the inherent features of the invention, when embodied in the holster according to the disclosed concept.

Yet another object is to provide in a gun holster, a unique arrangement of parts so as to form a receiving pocket and anchoring means for the preformed stiffener member.

Briefly, these objects are accomplished by a holster construction in which a single body blank is utilized to form a belt attaching extension and tubular structure having outer and inner walls, the inner wall having layers of leather or other material arranged to overlie a metallic stiffener. By means of stitching at the adjacent ends of the stiffener, the stiffener is positioned and anchored, a portion of the overlying material being extended as a free flap which is cooperatively associated with the body extension to provide a belt receiving loop. The lower end of the stiffener member is provided with a recessed cavity portion. After assembly, a form or template simulating the gun to be carried in the holster is inserted, and by a blocking process the holster is blocked to force the overlying material into the cavity on the inner wall side, and at the same time form a cavity on the outer Wall, thus conforming the holster to the gun. The utilization of a metallic stiffener permits the belt receiving loop portion to be angularly deflected so as to provide a permanent offset with respect to the general axis of the gun receiving tubular structure of the holster.

Further objects of the invention will be brought out in the following part of the specification, wherein detailed description is for the purpose of fully disclosing the invention without placing limitations thereon.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, which are for illustrative purposes only:

FIG. 1 is an outer side elevational view of a holster constructed according to the present invention, a gun being shown in phantom lines therein;

FIG. 2 is a back elevational view of the same;

FIG. 3 is an inner side elevational view;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged longitudinal section taken substantially on line 44 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged transverse sectional view, taken substantially on line 55 of FIG. 1; and

FIGS. 6 to 10 inclusive progressively disclose the successive steps of the method of fabricating the holster of the present invention.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, the gun holster of the present invention is disclosed as comprising an elongate tubular structure which is open at its uppermost end for receiving a gun therein for movement to a seated or carrying position. The tubular structure is formed from a body blank 10 which is folded to provide a forward edge fold 11, opposite edges 12 and 13 being positioned in superimposed relation'and secured as by stitching 14 to an intervening welt 15. This welt, as shown in FIG. 8, comprises a generally L-shaped member having a leg 16 which extends along the back edge of the holster, and a leg 17 which extends along the bottom closed end of the holster.

With the body 10 formed as described above, the portions of the body lying on opposite sides of the edge fold 11 provide an outer Wall 18 and an inner wall 19. The inner wall is formed with an integral belt attaching extension 20 which extends above the upper end of the outer wall, and is rearwardly inclined at an angle with respect to the general axis of thetubular structure.

The inner wall, including the extension 20, is rigidified by means of a stiffener member 21 which is shown in FIGS. 4 and 6 as generally comprising a plate member of metal or other suitable rigid deformable material. The stiffener member has opposite end portions 22 and 23 which extend on axes having relative angular relationship. The end portion 23 is substantially planar and terminates in a generally square end edge 24. The end portion 22 is constructed with lateral converging edges 25 and 26 which terminate in a generally rounded end edge 27. The end portion 22 is further provided with a depressed area that forms an elongate cavity 28 which extends generally in parallel relation to the lateral edge 25 and is constructed with 'a wall which is transversely of generally arcuate configuration.

As shown in'FIG. 4, the stiffener member 21 is contiguous to the outer surface of the inner wall 19 and is positioned so that the end portion 22 extends into the upper open end of the tubular structure, while the end portion 23 extends over and generally conforms to the configuration of the belt attaching extension 20.

The stiffener member is anchored in position within a retaining pocket 29 which is cooperatively formed between the inner wall 19 and a liner member 30 that is secured to the belt attaching extension 20-by marginal stitching 31 which extends along the side and end edges of the end portion 23 of the stiffener member.

Overlying the liner member 30 is a belt hanger member 32 which is substantially coextensive with the liner member. The belt hanger member has its lowermost end secured together with the corresponding end of a liner member 30 to the underlying body member inner wall 19. by means of marginal stitching 33 which extends along the edges 25 and 26, and rounded end edge 27 of the end portion 23 of the stiffener member. The upper end portion of the belt hanger member 32 extends'as a free flap 34 over the belt attaching extension 20 and is adapted to be folded around the outermost end thereof where it may be secured as by snap fasteners 35, or other suitable releasable fastener means, so that the parts thus form a belt receiving loop.

As initially constructed by the method to be hereinafter described, the stiffener member has its end portions 22 and 23 lying substantially in the same plane so that the belt attaching parts extend in a position shown in phantom lines in FIG. 4. In some cases it may be desired to provide this arrangement. However, the holster more readily conforms to the wearers body and hip by deforming the stiffener member substantially at the entrance opening at the top of the outer wall 13 so that the belt attaching portions will be inclined away from the general axis of the tubular portion, as shown.

As will be seen from FIG. 4, the areas of they liner member 30 and the belt hanger member 32 which overlie the cavity 28 are depressed so that theyextend into the cavity andcooperate with a cavity portion 36 in the outer wall 18 to provide a seat for a gun 37, as shown in phantom lines, and which isconformed to the cylinder 38 thereof,thus permitting the withdrawal of the gun with little or no impeding frictional resistance.

The gun is retained within the holster by means of a detachable safety strap 39, as shown in phantom lines, this strap being arranged for releasable attachment to the outer wall as by a snap fastener 40, and to the inner wall as by a snap fastener 43a.

Referring now to FIGS. 6 to inclusive, the method 'of fabricating the holster of the present invention will now be explained. In FIG. 6 the stiffener member is shown as being first bonded to the under surface of the liner member 3% with its cavity formed portion 28 opening towards the liner surface. The under surface of the liner member is covered with a suitable bonding material which extends into the marginal area 41 of the liner member around the periphery of the stiffener member. The body member is also covered with bonding material in the shaded area 42, which conforms generally to the configuration of liner 39, so that the liner member with the stiffener member attached thereto may be applied as a unit assembly and initially bonded to the body member in the position shown in FIG. 7, after which the marginal stitching 31 is applied, thus forming a retaining pocket 29 for the stiffener member.

Bonding material is now applied along the adjacent margin of the edge 13 as shown by the shaded area 43 so as to generally conform to the configuration of the welt which is then applied and bonded in the position shown in FIG. 8, in which position it will be observed that the endmost portion of the leg 16 overlaps the adjacent end of the liner member 30.

Having positioned the welt 15, bonding material is now applied to the lower end portion of the liner member 3t) as indicated in the shaded area 44, whereupon the elt hanger member 32 is bonded in the position shown in FIG. 9, wherein it is substantially coextensive and overlies the liner member and the overlapping end of the leg 16 of the welt. In this position, the marginal stitching 33 is applied. At this point of the fabrication procedure, it will be observed that the stitching 31 and stitching 33 operate to firmly and positively secure the stiffener member in its operative position and retain it within the pocket 29. It will be appreciated that the utilization of a stiffener member of metallic material prevents the use of any stitching through the superimposed members in the area occupied by the stiffener member, and the utiliza- 4g, tion of the procedure previously described accomplishes the desired purpose in a unique manner.

Bonding material is now applied over the exposed surface of the welt 15 as shown by the shaded area 45, and along the marginal portion adjacent the edge 12 as indicated by the shaded area 45.

The body blank is now folded so as to superimpose the edge 12 into registration with the edge 13, whereupon the stitching 14 may be applied so as to form the tubular structure having a forward edge fold 11 and with an outer wall 13 and inner wall 19 as shown in FIG. 10.

The holster is now blocked to conform its configuration to that of the gun which it is to carry. This is accomplished by moistening the holster material, and then by the application of external pressure, the material is conformed around a template having the same configuration as the gun. The blocking operation forces the portion of the template, which corresponds to the cylinder 38, to deform the overlying areas of the liner member 30 and the belt hanger member 32 into the cavity 28, and at the same time deflects the adjacent area of the outer wall 18 so as to form the cavity portion 36 therein. Thus, the holster is in a sense custom fitted to a particular gun and the tubular structure contoured to a desired gun configuration so that a gun carried therein may be quickly withdrawn Without undesirable impeding friction or gripping action thereon by the tubular structure. Moreover, the utilization of. a stiffener member such as used in the embodiment described herein, enables positioning of the belt attaching loop forming parts at an angle to the axis of the tubular structure so as to support the gun in the most desirable position for convenient carrying as well as to facilitate withdrawing the gun from the holster.

Various modifications may suggest themselves to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of my invention, and hence, I do not wish to be restricted to the specific forms shown or uses mentioned, except to the extent indicated in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A carrying holster for an object, comprising: a body of pliable material formed to provide a tubular structure adapted to receive the object endwise into its upper end, said body including an outer wall, and an inner wall having a belt attaching projecting portion extending beyond the upper end of the outer wall; means including an elongate stiffener plate of rigid material extending into said tubular structure over said inner wall so that the major axis thereof extends in the direction of the length of said inner wall and said projecting portion, said plate having an upper portion overlying said projecting portion; the remainder of said plate being disposed in said tubular structure so as to overlie said inner wall in inwardly spaced relation to said outer wall and having an outwardly opening recessed cavity therein; said outer wall having an inwardly opening recessed cavity positioned generally in confronting relation to the recessed cavity of said stiffener plate to cooperatively provide therewith a seat for an enlarged part of said object, and a pliable liner secured to said inner wall and said projecting portion forming a pocket enclosing said. plate and having a portion thereof depressed into said recessed cavity in said plate.

2. A carrying holster for an object, comprising: a body of pliable material formed to provide a tubular structure adapted to receive the object endwise into its upper end, said body including an outer wall, and an inner wall having a belt attaching projecting portion extending beyond the upper end of the outer wall; means including an elongate stiffener plate of rigid material extending into said tubular structure over said inner Wall, said plate having a lower end portion extending into the upper end of the tubular structure, and having an outwardly opening recessed cavity therein, said stiffener plate having an upper end portion overlying said projecting portion, said outer wall having an inwardly opening recessed cavity formed therein and positioned generally in confronting relation to the recessed cavity of said stiffener plate to cooperatively provide therewith a seat for an enlarged part of said 'object, and means extending longitudinally of said inner wall and said projecting portion of said inner Wall and spaced from said outer wall forming a pocket enclosing said entire plate and having a portion disposed in said cavity in said plate.

3. A carrying holster for an object, comprising: a body of pliable material formed to provide a tubular structure adapted to receive the object endwise into its upper end, said body including an outer wall, and an inner wall having a belt attaching projecting portion extending beyond the upper end of the outer wall and being rearwardly inclined from the general axis of the tubular structure; means including an elongate stiffener member in the form of a plate of metallic material extending into said tubular structure over said inner wall, said member having a lower end portion extending into the upper end of the tubular structure, said plate being spaced from engagement with said outer wall and having an outwardly opening and elongate recessed cavity therein, and an upper end portion overlying said projecting portion, there being an inwardly opening and elongate recessed cavity formed in said outer wall positioned generally in confronting relation to the recessed cavity of said stiffener member to cooperatively provide therewith a seat for an enlarged part of said object, and pliable material in strip form covering said stiffener member and fastened to said inner wall and said projecting portion so as to be opposite and spaced from portions of the inner surface of said outer wall.

4. A carrying holster for a gun, comprising: a body of pliable material formed to provide a tubular structure adapted to receive the gun endwise into its upper end, said body including an outer wall, and an inner Wall having a belt attaching projecting portion extending beyond the upper end of the outer wall; means including an elongate stiffener member of rigid material extending over said inner wall into the upper end of the tubular structure so as to be spaced from engagement with said outer wall; said stiffener member having an outwardly opening recessed cavity therein facing and spaced from said outer wall; said stiifener member having an upper end portion overlying said projecting portion, said upper end portion being bendable to occupy a position inclined away from the general axis of said tubular structure; a belt hanger member substantially coextensive with and overlying said stiffener member, said hanger member having a lower end portion marginally secured to said inner wall with a portion extending into said cavity, and an upper free flap end adapted to be extended around the outer end of the U belt attaching projecting portion and releasably secured to form therewith a belt receiving loop; and an inwardly opening recessed cavity formed in said outer wall positioned generally in confronting relation to the recessed cavity of said stiffener member to cooperatively provide therewith a seat for the cylinder of said gun.

5. A carrying holster for a gun, comprising: a body of pliable material formed to provide a tubular structure adapted to receive the gun endwise into its upper end, said body including an outer wall, and an inner wall having a belt attaching projecting portion extending beyond the upper end of the outer wall; an elongate stiffener member of rigid material extending into said tubular structure over said inner wall, said member having a lower end portion extending into the upper end of the tubular structure, and having an outwardly opening recessed cavity therein, and an upper end portion overlying said projecting portion, said upper end portion being inclined away from the general axis of said tubular structure; means forming a retaining pocket for said stiffener member including a plurality of overlying sheet members depressed into said cavity, one of said sheet members having an end portion extending over said projecting portion of said inner wall, and being secured thereto by peripheral stitching around said upper end portion of said stiffener member, and another of said sheet members having one end portion extending over and secured to said inner wall by peripheral stitching around said lower end portion of said stiffening member; the other end of said another sheet member extending as a free flap for cooperatively forming with said inner Wall projecting portion a belt loop; and an inwardly opening recessed cavity formed in said outer wall positioned generally in confronting relation to the recessed cavity of said stiifener n1em her to cooperatively provide therewith a seat for an enlarged part of said gun.

6. A carrying holster for a gun, comprising: a body or" pliable material formed to provide a tubular structure adapted to receive the gun endwise into its upper end, said body including an outer wall, and an inner wall having a belt attaching projecting portion extending beyond the upper end of the outer wall; an elongate stiffener member of rigid material extending into said tubular structure over said inner wall, said member having a lower end portion extending into the upper end of the tubular structure, and having an outwardly opening recessed cavity therein, and an upper end portion overlying said projecting portion, said upper end portion being inclined away from the general axis of said tubular structure; means forming a retaining pocket for said stiffener member including a cover structure secured at one end by marginal stitching around said upper end portion of said stiffener member, and at its other end, by marginal stitching around said lower end portion of said stiffener member, said structure having a free fiap portion cooperable with said inner Wall projecting portion to form a belt loop; and an inwardly opening recessed cavity formed in said outer wall positioned generally in confronting relation to the recessed cavity of said stiffener member to cooperatively provide therewith a seat for a cylinder of said gun.

7. In a gun holster; a tubular holster body having an inner wall and an outer wall; a belt attaching projection extending upwardly from said inner wall; a preformed one-piece stiffener insert mounted in said body in overlying relation to said inner wall and being in the form of an elongate metallic plate-like member having opposite end portions, said plate-like member being bendable for extending said end portions on axes having relatively angular relationship, one of said end portions being substantially planar and overlying said projection and terminating in a generally square end at the upper end of said projection, and the other of said end portions overlying said inner wall only and having lateral converging edges terminating in a generally rounded end, a depressed area formed in said other end portion extending longitudinally in generally parallel relation to one of said converging edges, and transversely being in general of arcuate configuration; and a covering of flexible material overlying said end portions and said depressed area in secured relation thereto and to said inner walland said projection to hold the insert in place.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,747,454 2/30 Mees 2242.2 1,903,084 3/33 Arth 224-2.2 2,001,321 5/35 Berns 2242.2 2,768,106 10/56 Sartakoff 15682 2,832,519 4/58 Ojala 2242.2 2,970,727 2/61 Bohlin 224-22 3,029,175 4/62 Stenqvis-t 15682 HUGO O. SCHULZ, Primary Examiner. MORRIS TEMIN, Examiner. 

1. A CARRYING HOLSTER FOR AN OBJECT, COMPRISING: A BODY OF PLIABLE MATERIAL FORMED TO PROVIDE A TUBULAR STUCTURE ADAPTED TO RECEIVE THE OBJECT ENDWISE INTO ITS UPPER END, SAID BODY INCLUDING AN OUTER WALL, AND AN INNER WALL HAVING A BELT ATTACHING PROJECTING PORTION EXTENDING BEYOND THE UPPER ENDK OF THE OUTER WALL; MEANS INCLUDING AN ELONGATE STIFFENER PLATE OF RIGID MATERIAL EXTENDING INTO SAID TUBULAR STRUCTURE OVER SAID INNER WALL SO THAT THE MAJOR AXIS THEREOF EXTENDS IN THE DIRECTION OF THE LENGTH OF SAID INNER WALL AND SAID PROJECTING PORTION, SAID PLATE HAVING AN UPPER PORTION OVERLYING SAID PROJECTING PORTION; THE REMAINDER OF SAID PLATE BEING DISPOSED IN SAID TUBULAR STRUCTURE SO AS TO OVERLIE SAID INNER WALL IN INWARDLY SPACED RELATION TO SAID OUTER WALL AND HAVING AN OUTWARDLY OPENING RECESSED CAVITY THEREIN; SAID OUTER WALL HAVING AN INWARDLY OPENING RECESSED CAVITY POSITIONED GENERALLY IN CONFRONTING RELATION TO THE RECESSED CAVITY OF SAID STIFFENER PLATE TO COOPERATIVELY PROVIDE THEREWITH A SEAT FOR AN ENLARGED PART OF SAID OBJECT, AND A PLIABLE INNER SECURED TO SAID INNER WALL AND SAID PROJECTING PORTION FORMING A POCKET ENCLOSING SAID PLATE AND HAVING A PORTION THEREOF DEPRESSED INTO SAID RECESSED CAVITY IN SAID PLATE. 